Jackman to Host the Oscars

What's an Oscar season without a little turmoil and drama?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that Hugh Jackman will host the 81st annual Academy Awards.

This year the AMPAAS is trying for a "new look" in the hopes of revitalizing the yearly awards show. But with Jackman as the host, I'm left wondering if that new look is more like the old, OLD look - the one that dragged the whole pat-on-the-back-fest into the four hour mind-numbing snore-o-rama from not too many years ago.

Nikki Finke from Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that her sources say Jackman's "people" are especially not keen on the opening joke-telling monologue that has become de rigueur with the awards show. Does this mean the show will open instead with with an over-produced song-and-dance number and then proceed downhill from there?

Plan to have a big pot of coffee on hand at your Oscar parties, folks.

And then there is that little question about the Screen Actors Guild strike we eluded to yesterday. If SAG strikes, and no stars are in attendance for the big shindig, will the show still be televisied or will it turn into something akin to the clusterfuck that the Golden Globes became this year?

The Academy Awards will air on ABC on Sunday Feb 22. As we find out more about the possible strike and how it will affect the Oscars, we'll post it here.